Rhode Island § 23-13-22 - Maternal and Child Health Services for Children with Special Health Care Needs

§ 23-13-22. Early intervention program for developmentally disabled infants.

(a) The director of the department of human services shall ensure that all developmentally disabled infants from birth to three (3) years of age shall be enrolled in the early intervention program. Regulations governing the delivery of services under this program, including eligibility criteria, shall be promulgated by the department of human services, with the advice of the interagency coordinating council; provided, however, that all regulations promulgated by the department of health shall remain in full force and effect until the time they are replaced by regulations promulgated by the department of human services. The regulations shall stipulate, at a minimum, the following provisions that are consistent with the intent of this chapter:

(1) The director shall develop and maintain a procedure for the earliest possible identification and efficient referral of all developmentally disabled infants;

(2) The director shall ensure that every infant identified and referred to this program is enrolled as soon as possible after birth; and further, that for infants placed on a waiting list for facility based group programming, an early intervention program shall be made available within a thirty (30) day period from the time a need is identified in the individual program plan;

(3) Unless parents refuse the service, the home visiting component of the program shall commence as soon as the infant has been identified as having a possible developmental disability;

(4) Any parent(s) who is/are dissatisfied with decisions or termination of service or with practices and procedures of a particular agency or the department of human services shall notify the director of the department of human services in writing within thirty (30) calendar days and the complaint shall be reviewed in accordance with department of health policy and procedures, as amended, and the Administrative Procedures Act, chapter 35 of title 42.

(5) An early intervention program for purposes of this section shall mean a comprehensive array of educational, developmental, health, and social services provided on a calendar year basis to eligible infants, children, and their families as specified in program regulations.

(b) Within ninety (90) days after October 1, 2004, an evaluation plan describing outcome measures that document the program’s successes and shortcomings from the previous fiscal year shall be submitted to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate and the house oversight committee and the governor and the interagency coordinating council. Development of the plan shall be made in consultation with the entities with expertise in this area and the interagency coordinating council. The plan shall include a memorandum of understanding between the department of health, department of human services and the department of elementary and secondary education that demonstrates coordination and continuity of early intervention services among these departments.

(c) Within six (6) months after January 1, 2005 where prescribed outcomes documented in the evaluation plan have not been accomplished the responsible agencies shall submit written explanations for the shortfalls, together with their proposed remedies. The report shall also include evaluation of the progress of the coordination efforts between the department of health and the department of human services and the department of elementary and secondary education and the interagency coordinating council and shall include any recommendations regarding modifications of the reimbursement mechanisms of this chapter.

(d) Within twelve (12) months after August 1, 2005 a final report shall include the progress of the coordination efforts between the department of health and the department of human services and department of elementary and secondary education, interagency coordinating council and shall include any recommendations regarding modifications to the comprehensive array of educational, developmental, health and social services provided on a calendar year basis to eligible infants, children and their families as specified in an early intervention system.

(e) All reports or documents required to be produced pursuant to 20 U.S.C. § 1471 et seq., shall be submitted to the speaker of the house, president of the senate and the chairpersons of the appropriate house of representatives and senate oversight committees and the governor and the interagency coordinating council. Adherence to such plans and reporting requirements, and budgets and the timely achievement of goals contained therein shall be considered by the oversight committees of the house of representatives and senate, among other relevant factors, in determining appropriations or other systemic changes.